Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for licensed social workers in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 187,402 licensed social workers currently employed in the United States.
- 83.9% of all licensed social workers are women, while 16.1% are men.
- The average age of an employed licensed social worker is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of licensed social workers is White (58.5%), followed by Black or African American (19.9%), Hispanic or Latino (12.3%) and Unknown (5.4%).
- In 2021, women earned 101% of what men earned.
- 13% of all licensed social workers are LGBT.
- Licensed social workers are 70% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
Licensed Social Worker Statistics By Gender
83.9% of licensed social workers are women and 16.1% of licensed social workers are men.
- Female, 83.9%
- Male, 16.1%
Licensed Social Workers By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 83.9% |
| Male | 16.1% |
Gender Pay Gap For Licensed Social Worker
Women Earn $1.01 For Every $1 Earned By Men
Licensed Social Worker Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the licensed social worker position over time.
Licensed Social Worker Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.78% | 85.22% |
| 2011 | 14.15% | 85.85% |
| 2012 | 14.11% | 85.89% |
| 2013 | 13.57% | 86.43% |
| 2014 | 14.30% | 85.70% |
| 2015 | 14.12% | 85.88% |
| 2016 | 14.34% | 85.66% |
| 2017 | 14.01% | 85.99% |
| 2018 | 18.00% | 82.00% |
| 2019 | 18.34% | 81.66% |
| 2020 | 19.87% | 80.13% |
| 2021 | 16.09% | 83.91% |
Licensed Social Worker Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, public health worker and rehabilitation engineer have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Breastfeeding Educator | 2% | 98% |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 3% | 97% |
| Lactation Specialist | 5% | 95% |
| Licensed Social Worker | 16% | 84% |
| Donation Worker | 70% | 30% |
| Rehabilitation Engineer | 70% | 30% |
| Public Health Worker | 81% | 19% |
Licensed Social Worker Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among licensed social workers is White, which makes up 58.5% of all licensed social workers. Comparatively, there are 19.9% of the Black or African American ethnicity and 12.3% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.
- White, 58.5%
- Black or African American, 19.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.3%
- Unknown, 5.4%
- Asian, 3.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Licensed Social Worker Race
| Licensed Social Worker Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 58.5% |
| Black or African American | 19.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.3% |
| Unknown | 5.4% |
| Asian | 3.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Licensed Social Worker Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among licensed social workers.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Licensed Social Worker Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.83% | 17.57% | 2.59% | 10.00% |
| 2011 | 65.42% | 18.60% | 3.01% | 10.04% |
| 2012 | 65.75% | 17.96% | 2.81% | 10.36% |
| 2013 | 65.67% | 17.74% | 2.90% | 10.11% |
| 2014 | 65.32% | 17.27% | 3.07% | 11.30% |
| 2015 | 65.17% | 17.67% | 2.89% | 11.38% |
| 2016 | 64.92% | 17.21% | 3.27% | 11.88% |
| 2017 | 65.28% | 15.66% | 3.37% | 12.35% |
| 2018 | 65.80% | 17.35% | 2.18% | 11.32% |
| 2019 | 66.88% | 15.00% | 2.08% | 12.40% |
| 2020 | 62.15% | 15.96% | 3.26% | 12.70% |
| 2021 | 58.45% | 19.92% | 3.32% | 12.27% |
Licensed Social Worker Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $57,227 |
| White | $54,035 |
| Black or African American | $56,377 |
| Asian | $57,107 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $57,192 |
Average Age of a Licensed Social Worker
We determined the average age of licensed social workers based on ethnicity and gender.
Licensed Social Worker Age By Race
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 37 | |
| White | 46 | 46 |
| Black or African American | 48 | 44.5 |
| Asian | 38.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 43 |
Licensed Social Worker Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of licensed social worker employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of licensed social workers is 40+ years old, which represents 63% of the population.
Licensed Social Worker Age
| Licensed Social Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 63% |
| 30-40 years | 28% |
| 20-30 years | 8% |
Types of Licensed Social Worker Degree Levels
The most common degree for licensed social workers is bachelor's degree 55% of licensed social workers earn that degree. A close second is master's degree with 38% and rounding it off is associate degree with 5%.
- Bachelors, 55%
- Masters, 38%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Licensed Social Workers By Education
| Licensed Social Worker Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 55% |
| Masters | 38% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Doctorate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Licensed Social Worker Jobs You Might Like
Licensed Social Worker Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $47,662 |
| Master's Degree | $66,580 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,968 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $55,974 |
Licensed Social Worker Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where licensed social workers work. We found most licensed social workers work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most licensed social workers is the health care industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire licensed social workers.
Licensed Social Worker Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 14% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 10% |
The Types Of Companies Licensed Social Worker Work In
Employees with the licensed social worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most licensed social workers prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Licensed Social Worker Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 6% |
| Private | 70% |
| Government | 16% |
Top Industries Hiring Licensed Social Workers
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ licensed social workers. Those industries include health care, non profits and government.
Licensed Social Worker Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 49% |
| Non Profits | 11% |
| Government | 9% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Education | 5% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Licensed Social Worker Turnover And Employment Statistics
Licensed Social Worker Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of licensed social workers changed.
- Unemployment rate
Licensed Social Worker Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Licensed Social Worker Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.89% |
| 2011 | 4.68% |
| 2012 | 4.85% |
| 2013 | 3.77% |
| 2014 | 2.89% |
| 2015 | 2.27% |
| 2016 | 2.28% |
| 2017 | 1.90% |
| 2018 | 2.61% |
| 2019 | 1.33% |
| 2020 | 2.51% |
| 2021 | 3.18% |
The Average Number of Years That Licensed Social Worker Stay in a Job
By looking over 2,431 licensed social workers resumes, we figured out that the average licensed social worker enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 29%.
Licensed Social Worker Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 16% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 13% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Licensed Social Workers with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to licensed social workers.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Assault Counselor | 8.96% | 75,374 |
| Juvenile Officer | 9.50% | 56,115 |
| Monk | 11.25% | 46 |
| Community Organization Aide | 11.48% | 50,987 |
| Licensed Social Worker | 12.99% | - |
| Adolescent Counselor | 15.06% | 33,698 |
| Case Consultant | 15.06% | 35,111 |
Licensed Social Worker LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Assault Counselor | 8.96% | 75,374 |
| Juvenile Officer | 9.50% | 56,115 |
| Monk | 11.25% | 46 |
| Community Organization Aide | 11.48% | 50,987 |
| Adolescent Counselor | 15.06% | 33,698 |
| Case Consultant | 15.06% | 35,111 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Licensed Social Workers
The most common foreign language among licensed social workers is Spanish at 63.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 4.3% and Russian is the third-most popular at 4.3%.
- Spanish, 63.8%
- Chinese, 4.3%
- Russian, 4.3%
- Portuguese, 2.9%
- Italian, 2.9%
- Other, 21.8%
Licensed Social Worker Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 63.8% |
| Chinese | 4.3% |
| Russian | 4.3% |
| Portuguese | 2.9% |
| Italian | 2.9% |
| Other | 21.8% |
